Reflection from Fr. Joseph

Last week, I discussed the different physical elements in a church, and how they impact how we worship. One element which is always seen but rarely discussed: the garments of the priest!

Many professions require their practitioners to wear special clothes. Think about a police officer’s uniform, a doctor’s white coat, or the distinct garb of a school president during graduation. These unique clothes usually have meaning and history behind them – and that is certainly the case for priestly vestments.

The vestments of a priest originated in everyday life for ancient Romans. In fact, a priest celebrating Mass in ancient Rome would not necessarily have any distinguishing clothes from the laypeople in the pews! (Metaphorically speaking – pews were not invented until the high middle ages – before that, people stood for the entire 2-3 hour liturgy!). We have no evidence of specific priestly vestments until the 7th century, where some mosaics in Ravenna depict priests having specific vesture. (Bishops, however, always wore the miter [the pointy hat] and held the crosier [the shepherd’s staff] to symbolize their authority, even from the early Church).

The alb, the white undergarment a priest wears, was originally the everyday tunic that every Roman wore. “Alb” comes from the Latin albus, meaning white. It has come to symbolize the purity and innocence that a priest must possess to celebrate Mass worthily. It calls to mind the white garment that is placed on the body of every believer at their baptism.

The alb is secured through a cincture, a belt. Once of a practical use, it now symbolizes Ephesians 6:14, when St. Paul talks about “girding your loins with the belt of truth” – part of dressing in a soldier’s uniform for spiritual warfare.

Over the alb and cincture is placed the stole. The stole was not a common part of Roman clothing, but rather was used only by judges, magistrates, and those in the government to distinguish their proper authority. It would be of different lengths, widths, and colors based upon a person’s standing in the government (in ancient Rome, it was called a trabea). Likewise, the stole for a priest symbolizes his authority – the authority to teach in Christ’s name and celebrate His Sacraments.

Finally, over all that is placed the chausuble. From the Latin casula, it was the outercoat often worn by Romans to go out in public. It now symbolizes the love of Christ, which should cover all things.

All of these vestments come in six different colors:

Green is for Ordinary Time, symbolizing the spiritual growth that occurs through the spiritual life.

Red is for Pentecost (symbolizing the fire of the Holy Spirit), Good Friday and Palm Sunday, and the feasts of martyrs (symbolizing the blood that was shed).

White is for Christmas, Easter, and other saints who are not martyrs (symbolizing rejoicing, triumph, glory).

Purple/violet is for Lent and Advent (symbolizing repentance).

Black is used for funerals and All Souls Day (symbolizing mourning and prayers for the dead)

Rose is used for the third Sunday of Advent and the fourth Sunday of Lent (symbolizing hope).

There are other vestments that priest frequently use, as well – for example, he may use a cope (which is a large cape used for Adoration and other Sacraments that are not Masses). Over the cope he may put a humeral veil to touch the monstrance (a sign that it is not the priest who blesses us, but Jesus Himself in the Eucharist). He may also use an amice (a white cloth which is draped over the neck to prevent the alb from getting dirty) or a maniple (a cloth draped over his arm to be used to wipe sweat from the brow during Mass).

How beautiful and rich is our faith to have such rich symbolism in even the garments a priest dons for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

Thanks for the Household Goods Collection!

Recently we had asked for a collection of plates, dishes, cookware, and other household goods for Catholic Charities. What a generous response we had! Here is the good feedback we heard from Jim McPartland from Catholic Charities:

The great generosity of your Parish to contribute almost 40 boxes of Kitchenware to our Catholic Charities Furniture Ministry was incredible!!

We have served over 150 families from January to today and our mission is to make “an apartment a Home”!!

Please know that being able to cook and eat in your new Home is a great gift that each family is passionate about!!

So grateful for all the goodness that your Parish created !!

Many thanks to Bonnie Thibodeau for leading this collection - and for all those who contributed!

A Wonderful Camp Adore!

We just finished our amazing Camp Adore last week! Many thanks to Jessica Iannotta, our Family Ministry Coordinator; her tireless assistant Aimee Domenici; the kitchen staff of Brian Veo and Rosa Mullin; the organizational skills of Betty Henn, Fran Bifulco; the hard work of Peter Blair and the activities team...and so many more, who made this week amazing. We had over 80 young kids, over 40 teens, and 20+ adults to make this week run smoothly. By all accounts, this third Camp Adore was our most organized, most fun, and most spiritual of our weeks. Praise God for all the blessings He showered down upon us this past week!

Parish News

Italian Festival News

Family News and Updates

Camp Adore was a grace filled week with daily Mass, fun games, snacks, crafts and daily Eucharistic Adoration. Our Patron Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati helped intercede for us to take our faith "To the Heights - Verso L'Alto!" May Jesus continue to draw all of these young people closer to Him.

Blessed Pier Giorgio's feast day is coming up on July 4th! As a patron of youth, may he continue to intercede for the youth of our Parish and Diocese! He inspires us all to do acts of charity for others and pray each day for the courage to be great!

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us!

See below to listen to the beautiful voices of the children singing to Our Lord in Adoration:

Video 1

Video 2

Summer Events - Save the Dates

Sunday, July 14 - Parish Softball Game - 2pm Wolfe Park Field 4

Sunday, July 28 - Backyard Family Adoration

Monday, August 26 - Backyard Family Adoration

Friday, August 30 - End of Summer Music Festival

Youth Encounters

All of our young people grades 6-12 are invited to join us for our Youth Encounters! These nights of games, food, fun, prayer, fellowship, and honest conversation about our Catholic Faith have been awesome...come and join us this summer!

Please click on the image to view the flyer.

Mom's Group Announcements

INVITING ALL PARENTS (mothers and fathers) to our 2024 weekly Zoom Rosaries on Wednesdays at 9 pm. Please email Jessica Iannotta for more information. To submit prayer intentions for our monthly Rosaries, click here.

Mom's group dinner gathering: Friday June 28 email Jessica for more information

Friendly Visitor Program 

If you, a loved one, or someone you know, would like a visit at home from a St Jude parishioner once a month

please contact Elizabeth Lynch 203-270-9072. 

If you are available to be a volunteer please join this group.

Knights of Columbus News

Hopeline Pregnancy Center has a continued need for disposable diapers. They are currently low on all sizes from Newborn to size 6, wipes, as well as bottles and pacifiers. They have also requested baby formula such as “Similac 360 Total Care”. Should you wish to help you can leave the diapers, etc. in the outer vestibule of the church. Monetary donations, with checks made out to the Hopeline Pregnancy Center, as well as gift cards from Amazon, Target and grocery stores are most welcome. As always, your continued support is greatly appreciated by Hopeline and our Knights of Columbus Council.

Food Pantry Update

With school in recess the summer now upon us our pantry needs shift a bit to with the season. Current items in greatest need are jarred pasta sauce, beans, children’s snacks and boxed cereal. Please keep checking the newsletter for additional information regarding the Knights of Columbus upcoming CHRISTMAS IN JULY food drive to be conducted at Stop & Shop the week of July 27-28. Your continued support is greatly appreciated.

Pray the Rosary with SoulCore at St. Jude!

SoulCore is now offered at St. Jude Church!

Sessions are held the 1^st and 3^rd Thursday of each month at 7 pm

St. Jude Social Hall – 707 Monroe Tpke, Monroe CT

Please wear comfortable clothing; bring an exercise mat and water

(Please enter the social hall through the rear doors of the church, adjacent to the parking lot)

Every fitness level is welcome – participants are encouraged to honor their mobility and capabilities during prayer

A $10 donation to St. Jude is welcome but not required

Sessions will be led by Christine Peterson, Certified SoulCore Leader and Personal Trainer



Please contact Christine.Peterson@snet.net with questions or to register

Please remember in your daily prayers:

David Nicolett, Maria Bertone, Vincent Daniello, Joe Pinto, Zoey Frigo, Daniel Louis Bianco, Max, Hung Vu, Dr. John Kezel, Francisca Testa & family, Catherine Belanger, Manny Cambra, Cambra, Bennett Gulyas, Tom Pleva, James Buturla, John Sansone, Paul Verespej, Patti F. , Anne DeVita, Anna Harper, Jack Lane, Frank Kerekes, Marian Nanchy, Antonia Tedeschi, Mary McDonald, Douglas Stanley, Jenn Katz, Judy Thomas, Barbara Tranchese, Mary Lopresti, Lou DiMartino, Lor C., Viola Cleo Bradshaw, Susan W. and Janet C, Larry Pisani, Vincent Pisani, Greg, Kaiti and Cameron Kessler, Michael Merola & Family, Martha Mencseli, Mildred Blasko, Father Krzysztof, and Baby Henry Taylor, Garren Kiett, Becky M., Flo Guite, Michael J. Russell, Mary Ann Voytek, Michael, and Donna, Evan Tedesco, Darryl Patterson, Michael, Debra and Mike Patten, Louise Noll, Chrystal Archuletta and Alice Gumpert, Diane Cummings, Chloe Capra

Please join us in praying our Monthly Parish Intention.

Our Petition for June is: 

  Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus 

We consecrate ourselves to Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament as we pray...

      JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU

Mass Intentions for  June 29 – July 7

Sat   June 29       4:30pm       Pasquale and Vincenzina Cusello

Sun  June 30       7:30am       Mary Ellen Mason

Sun   June 30       9:30am       Frank Dunne

Sun  June 30       11:30am     St Jude Parishioners

Mon  July 1         9:00am       Mark Stephen Candela

Tue   July 2         9:00am       Elizabeth Posh

Wed  July 3         9:00am      Anne Hydar

Thu   July 4         9:00am      Holy Souls in Purgatory

Sat    July 6         8:30am       Todd Romagna

Sat   July 6         4:30pm       Isabel Dantas Teixeira and Lucinda Dantas

Sun  July 7         7:30am       St Jude Parishioners

Sun   July 7         9:30am       Maximino Monteiro

Sun  July 7         11:30am     Carmen Bocchino

Tabernacle Candle: June: Isabel Dantas Teixeira and Lucinda Dantas

                              July: Blessings during the 1^st wedding anniversary

                                       month for Marianne and John Hagendorf

Weekday Masses (Monday thru Thursday) will be in the main Church at 9 am and live streamed.

The Weekend Masses inside the Church are Saturday at 4:30 pm and Sunday at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30. Only the Saturday Mass at 4:30 pm and the Sunday 7:30 am and 9:30 Masses are live streamed.

(Live-streamed Masses may be viewed at https://www.stjuderc.org/view-masses ) Please note that the link is slightly changed from the previous link due to the change in the website.

Men’s Bible Study

The Men’s Bible Study will meet Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM, in the school building. Each week we will take up the readings for that weekend. All men of the parish are welcome. For more information, contact Bob Lux at mjrob08@gmail.com.

Saturday Rosary Sign up.

We have a wonderful way to prepare for Saturday Mass and that is to say the Rosary before Mass starts. We start 30 minutes before Mass so we start at 4:00 every Saturday.

Please join us as we pray. Also, please prayerfully consider joining this ministry.

If you would like to join you can sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4aa8ad2fa6fccf8-saturday#/

We look forward to you joining us as we pray the Rosary together.

First Friday

Eucharistic Adoration

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28-30



The time that we spend with Jesus in front of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time we will spend on earth. Please join us on the first Friday of every month from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.

Flame of Love Rosary

Thursday mornings after 9 am Mass

"Spread the effect of grace of thy Flame of Love over all of humanity"

flameoflove.us



Divine Mercy Chaplet

Wednesdays at 3 pm in the Church

"Jesus we Trust in You"

thedivinemercy.org

St. Jude Religious Gift Shop is located downstairs in the Msgr. Sabia Social Hall. Fr. Joseph's Books and CD's are available in the Gift Shop. Also new items: Communion Gifts and cards, statues, rosaries and more.



Come in and browse. Call Fran Cambra 203-261-2573 or Parish Office 203-261-6404.

Confession Hours



Confessions on Saturday afternoon will be in the day chapel at 3:30 to 4:15 pm on Saturdays. Come take advantage of God's great mercy by coming to the Sacrament of Confession.

Confessions are also by appointment, please call 203-261-6404, to set up an appointment or email the office.